The Illusory Giant BRICS: Why the Bloc Appears Larger Than It Is

Source: Berliner Zeitung | Original Published At: 2026-02-07 16:09:31 UTC

Key Points

• A BRICS naval exercise in January 2026 excluded Iran after U.S. diplomatic pressure and South African presidential intervention.
• Only 5 of 11 BRICS members participated in the 'Peace Will' exercise, highlighting operational disunity.
• The bloc's inability to coordinate on security issues underscores its lack of political and economic cohesion.
• Member states' conflicting geopolitical interests (e.g., Russia-Ukraine war, India-China border disputes) prevent unified action.
• BRICS remains a symbolic rather than substantive counterweight to Western-dominated global institutions.